1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of ultrasound imaging devices which may be used, for example, for medical diagnosis. More particularly, the invention relates to ultrasound catheter probes.
2. Background Information
Various ultrasound techniques and devices have been developed for imaging the interior of a body (hereinafter, "body" refers to various types of subjects, such as humans, animals, non-living structures, etc.). One application of ultrasound imaging has been in the medical field, and in particular, in catheter probes. Such probes are typically used to diagnose lumen of bodies, such as blood vessels or other fluid carrying ducts. Such diagnosis is sometimes provided, at least in part, by generating ultrasound images of the lumen with ultrasound imaging devices installed within or about the catheter probe.
Conventional catheter probes for intraluminal ultrasound imaging typically perform circular ultrasound scanning within the lumen or within proximity to a plane that is perpendicular to the catheter probe and the lumen. As a result, such conventional catheter probes are generally limited in the field of view that may provide, especially with respect to imaging of structures that lie "ahead" of the catheter probe. For example, such conventional catheter probes cannot provide desired images of stenotic or obstructive lesions within blood vessels or other fluid ducts, for example, to determine size and/or morphology of such obstructions, without forcing the catheter probe through or past such lesions. Thus, ultrasound imaging of obstructive lesions, for example, may not be possible if the lumen becomes smaller than the catheter probe sheath or if a substantial portion of the lumen is obstructed.
Thus, what is desired is an ultrasound probe that provides improved imaging and/or access capabilities over prior devices and techniques.